USC basketball coach Tim Floyd has been contacted by Louisiana State about its vacant coaching position, according to multiple sources.

Floyd was off campus Monday afternoon and could not be reached for comment but previously denied he would be interested in LSU.

“I’ve said USC would be the last job I had,” Floyd said last month. “I’m happy here.”

Sources said Floyd did not express interest in LSU, but he is a natural candidate for the job because he owned a home in Louisiana and lived there when USC hired him in 2005.

Floyd also was a close friend of LSU coach John Brady, who was fired in February, and said he would not want to follow him.

But LSU is interested, according to sources, and Floyd would be the logical choice. Before coming to USC, Floyd coached the New Orleans Hornets and has made big inroads recruiting Louisiana players for USC. Guard Marcus Simmons is from Alexandria, guard Dwight Lewis is from Metairie and forward Leonard Washington, who signed but did not qualify, is from Lake Charles.

Another factor could be Nike is involved in LSU’s coaching search. Athletic director Skip Bertman told the Baton Rouge Advocate that Martin Newton, a Nike employee and son of former Alabama coach C.M. Newton, would assist the search. USC and LSU are sponsored by Nike.

“We’re a Nike school. Martin knows basketball very well,” Bertman told the Advocate. “He said he would help any Nike school. We’re assuming we’ll get some help from Martin.”

This is not the first time a Southeastern Conference school expressed interest in Floyd. Last spring, Arkansas was interested, ironically after the Trojans eliminated the Razorbacks from the NCAA Tournament, but Floyd declined the offer.

USC is 20-10 overall and poised to make its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance under Floyd. The Trojans open the Pac-10 Conference Tournament on Thursday at noon against Arizona State at Staples Center.

In other news, freshman guard O.J. Mayo was a first-team selection to the All-Pac-10 team. Forward Taj Gibson was named to the third team. Forward Davon Jefferson was an honorable mention selection.

Gibson was a first-team selection to the all-defensive team. Mayo was honorable mention. Mayo and Jefferson were named to the all-freshman first team while point guard Angelo Johnson was honorable mention.